The Golden Egg
by alizep
Summary: AU. Jadeite pursues the mysterious woman who is rumored to be able to turn anything to gold. She however has nothing but fear and loathing for the man who is rumored to be ruthless in getting what he wants as she is kidnapped and brought to his kingdom.
1. Chapter 1

This is a side story that I'm working on. I'm not really sure where I'm going with it yet or it any other characters will be making an appearance - although that's how I started out with Dancing with Darkness too! Please review and let me know if I should continue with this or not.

Typical disclaimer - these characters are not mine.

Enjoy

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"I will deal with the witch myself," she heard a voice hiss as it resounded louder through the hallway.

He was coming for her, and surely he would not be kind, the raven haired girl began to worry. She looked around her surroundings but found that there was nothing she could use to shield herself from him. The cold room was made of stone walls and contained little more than a thin flat mat in one corner and the chains that bound her hands, keeping her trapped where she knelt. Her once pretty red dress had been torn in her struggles with his corrupt guards leaving her to look like some common prostitute they had been pulled off the streets. The men had not been gentle when they held her down, nor had they been when their greedy hands had groped at her. Her wrists hurt from the binds that were tightly wound around her wrists so much so that her fingers had long since become numb. Tear streaks still scarred her face, marring her normally calm, beautiful features.

The heavy wooden door with metallic trim opened quickly and shut with a resounding bang. She looked up to find the one man she feared standing above her. A dark blue and black uniform covered his toned body; the pants of his uniform were tucked into a pair of shiny black leather boots that rose to his knees. Behind him hung a dark cape with red lining that fell nearly to the floor. At first glance his shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes were deceptive to all those who did not know the cruelty that lay beneath them. A thin smile spread over his lips as she attempted to rearrange the tatters of her dress to protect her modesty. "So here we are my beautiful little witch. I promised you that one of these days I would finally capture you," he stated coolly.

"You did not capture me, you coward. Your thugs abducted me and molested me, leaving me here to kneel before you. Although that would not be by choice were these chains not restricting my movements."

He walked closer and bent down onto one knee before her, staying just far enough out of her limited reach. "It matters not how you got here. What matters is what I will do with you now that I have you."

"You would not dare to touch me when you well know what I am capable of," she spat.

"As charming as it might be to have a golden statue made in my image, I must admit that I would not prefer to become that golden statue myself. What a shame," he spoke softly clucking his tongue, his eyes looking her over. "Such a beautiful face, but with your poor breeding it's no wonder you lack the proper manners to know when someone is trying to help you."

"You wish to exploit me."

"I wish to share in your gift." He spoke to her as if they were old friends. "I believe you call it alchemy? A dark word for a heaven sent gift. You are lucky that it was I who found you before they had you burned for being a witch." He slowly rose from his kneeling position and walked around her, eyeing her from every angle. She struggled against the chains that held her hands to no avail. In one swift movement he was kneeling behind her, his hands gently caressing her arms and his warm breath against her cold cheek. "You will make me a rich man my dear, and in exchange I will personally see to it that you are properly taken care of." His voice came across as being gruff and she instantly understood the ulterior meaning of his words.

"I do not wish to have your attentions. Now release me," she responded firmly.

"Rei," he breathed into her ear, and she froze as his hands moved to rest on her hips, her back pressed against his chest. "We can do this the nice way," his right hand travelled slowly up her back and his fingers tangled in her, yanking firmly, "or we can do it my way. I will give you time to decide whether or not you will willingly submit to me, but I advise you to make things easier on yourself. I can be quite persuasive when I need to be," he said, his voice remaining smooth and silky as he carefully released the tendrils of her hair and rose to his feet. "I'll be back for you in the morning, and I expect an answer from you by then. Don't disappoint me, Rei," he cooed, now seeming to be completely harmless, a master of deception.

She felt a shiver travel through her at his words and waited until he left the room to release the breath that she had been holding; fresh warm tears started streaming down her cheeks over the hopelessness of the situation and her frustration of being left so completely helpless in his custody.


	2. Chapter 2

Here's the next installment - as you can tell I've changed the name of the series...I may change it again. This was originally a drabble that has slowly started to evolve into something bigger. So please review! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! One reviewer pointed out to me that Rei's character came off as being a little to OC, so I made some edits to the first chapter to make her a little more in character. Hopefully it reads better now. Check it out if you have some time.

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Jadeite stormed angrily into his the kitchen where his returning guards had congregated for a late night dinner and to harass the young maids working in the castle. He thrust open the heavy wooden door and came to a stop in the middle of the room. All the men immediately ceased their conversation upon gazing at his angry features. Taking advantage of this interruption, the young maids quickly slipped from the room, eager to escape the groping hands of their master's soldiers.

Jadeite grabbed one of the maidens roughly by the arm and whispered fiercely into her ear. Her eyes widened for a moment before nodding in acknowledgement. He released her arm and she promptly took leave, allowing the door to close behind her. Sensing that all eyes were on him, he quickly turned his expression into that of an exaggerated smile, outstretching his arms enthusiastically. "So tell me friends, which among you were the ones that successfully captured my little witch?" His tone was playful as he gestured grandly to the soldiers with his hands.

Several of the guards looked dumbly at each other, ready to please Jadeite by claiming victory though it might not be theirs. Three of the soldiers stood up and puffed their chests, gloating over their comrades who were resting in their assorted locations spread around the room with envious looks on their faces. "It was us, my Lord," the first soldier spoke up.

"Yeah, we brought in the whore," the second one said proudly. The third one stood nearby, gloating silently.

"She's a pretty one, isn't she?" Jadeite asked excitedly, slowly approaching the second soldier.

"Ah yeah," came the grunted response.

"Had a bit of fun with her before you brought her in, eh?" Jadeite's smile grew as he stood in front of the shorter man.

"You can say we took the fight out o' her," his eyes scanned the room before returning to face Jadeite with a lopsided grin on her face.

Jadeite chuckled as he patted the soldier on his back. Some of the other men joined in the laughter as well, albeit some more nervous than others. The smile suddenly fell from Jadeite's face and his features darkened. He pulled his hand away from the man and took a few steps back, pacing in a circle before turning back and punching the soldier in his face, blood spurting from his now broken nose. The soldier leaned forward, grasping painfully at his nose on instinct. Jadeite punched the man in his stomach and then once again in the face causing the man to fall into a large heap on the ground. As the man attempted to get back up, Jadeite kicked him painfully and placed his foot on his body, holding him down beneath his shiny black leather boots, polished to a painful perfection. "Do any of you know who that '_whore' _is, as you've so kindly referred to her?"

He was met with further silence by all those present, afraid to speak lest they invoke his anger upon themselves. A cruel smile fell upon Jadeite's lips as he waited patiently for anyone to answer, ignoring the painful grunts of the man still under his boot. "That whore is my guest, and should I find that anyone has laid a hand on her they will be dealt with swiftly. Am I understood?" He enunciated his last words as if he were talking to small children. "I will take your silence as the affirmative then." His voice took on a friendly tone once again. "Now I will take leave of you all, my friends," he removed his boot from the man below him and started walking towards the door. "I ask that you all make a point not to disturb me tonight as I will be spending it with a _very_ special guest." He grinned as if to emphasize his point before contentedly strolling from the room, whistling a light tune as he pulled the door open and passed through into the hallway. Several minutes passed before anyone dared to speak again, no one moving to help their fallen comrade. None of them knew what the importance of the dark haired girl was, they were only told to find her and to deliver her to him – most notably they were warned to make sure that 

she did not touch them with her hands. An interesting request, though they all knew better than to challenge Master Jadeite once he has issued an order.

Jadeite walked into his bedroom, still whistling the same tune from earlier. A please smile was written across his features as he took note of the beautiful maiden with dark hair sitting on the edge of his bed. She looked quite different from when he saw her last and decided that he would be sure to reward the young maid later for executing his orders with more proficiency than any of his soldiers with their own. But there was no time to digress, not when he had such a prize waiting for him.

"My my, you are quite the breath stopper once you have been cleaned up," he marveled, kneeling on one knee before the raven haired beauty. She attempted to kick him once he was close enough, but was restrained by his hands – one placed on her left knee and the other resting scandalously high on her right thigh. His thumb stroked her thigh over the layers of her dress knowing that the sensation was pleasurable to her despite the scowl that she tried to maintain. "Do you have no words for your savior?" he asked, exaggerating hurt by her silence.

"If I had my hands free I would gladly show you how thankful I am to you," she spat bitterly.

"If I could undo those binds that hold you I would gladly do so," he gestured to her hands restrained behind her back as if he were helpless to cut the binds only further infuriating her. "But in the meantime maybe we could at least pretend to be friendly with one another."

"I would rather die than have my body desecrated by the likes of you!"

His overstated smile started to fade as he stared menacingly at her. "I warned you that we could do this the nice way or we could do it my way. You would be a Princess on my arm if you would just cooperate with me, my little firebird," he spoke gently to her while leaning in closer to her face. Her breath caught in her throat at the closeness of his proximity now. He smelled masculine and for a moment she forgot that she wanted to resist him. "This is all that I ask of you. Would you deny me?" he spoke softly in a sweet tone, his voice soothing her. One of his hands came up to brush some of her flaxen locks from her face, his fingertips caressing her cheekbone.

"Please release me," she whimpered. Her eyes watched as his features began to contort and his jaw started to tick. His mood changing as quickly as a feather caught in a gale. She flinched as he shoved her away from him, causing her to roll onto her back. Her legs flailed as she attempted to keep her ruby colored dress from exposing too much of her long limbs. He stood above her and her breath caught in her throat, unsure of what to expect next.

"I will have you returned to your cold cell with your tattered dress and maybe after a week of solitary confinement you will learn to enjoy my company more."

"Why must you do this to me?" she yelled, finding her voice once more.

"Because you are mine and I will have you."

"I belong to no one," she spoke firmly.

With feline speed and agility he was quickly hovering over her, pressing her further into the bed. She held back a yelp of pain as the rope binding her hands dug deep into her exposed skin. "You belong to me," he hissed at her. There was a recognition in her eyes that caused him to smile wantonly. He inhaled deeply, memorizing her sweet scent before pulling his body away from hers and sauntering out of the room, whistling a light tune.


	3. Chapter 3

Finally - an update! The first few pages were easy enough to write, it was the last part that got tricky! I'm thinking once more chapter left and then this story will be wrapped up. Unless I decided to write a sequel... sigh I guess I should work on the next chapter before I move onto the next story. Please review! It makes my day that much better to hear from everyone!

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Jadeite paced furiously in the front hall of the castle, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. A look of concern intermingled with annoyance marred his features as myriads of thoughts crossed his mind. There was no way out of his situation other than to go along with the results of the coup. The King was dead. A rebel army lead by a man going by the name of Endymion had slain him and now proclaimed his self to be King. Jadeite certainly had the man power to fight Endymion's forces, although were he to lose, the consequences would be unthinkable. Surely they would strip him of his land, title, and wealth, but answering to this man could easily become the worse alternative. King James had been a close friend to Jadeite, and because of this relationship, Jadeite had been free to do whatever it was he wished in the kingdom. But now this new man believed that the people deserved their independence. It was enough to make Jadeite sick. Within a year, Endymion – Mr. Holier-Than-Thou – would surely become as corrupt as all the others.

The sight of the raven haired beauty arriving from the corner of his eye was enough to stop his perpetual pacing. She was escorted by two of his guards who took extra care to not touch her anymore than was necessary. It seemed that they did not need to be told twice how to treat one of his guests.

One of the guards opened his mouth to speak, but Jadeite simply dismissed the two of them with a scowl and the rapid waving of his hand. The woman stood several feet away from him, her eyes looking around to take in the details of the room, hopeful when she saw that she was near an exit.

"I wouldn't advise making any moves. The kingdom as you once knew it is no more," he sighed.

"I don't understand." Her voice was emotionless, tired from the ordeal of the past couple weeks and wishing that he would allow her hands to be untied so that the numb sensation would finally go away. Fortunately he had not been true to his word and had allowed her to remain in the fine gown she was dressed in and kept in one of the guest rooms. While she was forced to remain restrained throughout the endeavor, it was still better than the cold damp dungeon and the remains of her tattered dress.

"King James is gone. He was slain last night by some rebel forces who have claimed the kingdom as their own. We have a new King now. He calls himself Endymion."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"He is sending someone here today to make sure that I am willing to comply with his new order," Jadeite rolled his eyes as he spoke, almost like a child that had been scolded by a parent. "I have decided to play along with his ridiculous mandates for now as I've become quite fond of being a Lord."

"You still have not answered my question."

"I will introduce you as my bride-to-be." He spoke plainly as if she should have understood this without having to be told. Seeing that she clearly was missing his point, he began to pace the room again shaking his head. "You have a choice my dear. You can either stay here with me or risk being turned over to his new majesty. Once you are out of my hands I can make no promises for your safety."

"I'm sure his prisoner accommodations will be just as fine as yours," she drawled.

He scowled at her. "You are the one who has chosen to remain that way, not I." He walked to the window overlooking his land and managed to scowl even further. "I should have suspected. Our new king has sent the head of his army to personally introduce himself to me. How thoughtful of him." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he watched the men on horseback closing in on his property.

"If I go along with this will you set me free?" Her voice was hopeful.

"We are not negotiating, nor do we have time. I have already offered you all the freedom you desire on my estate."

"You will need to unbind my hands to make this believable."

"Put these on." He reached into his pocket and flung a pair of gloves at her. They bounced off her stomach and landed at her feet. "As it turns out, there are limitations to your power. The fingertips of the gloves have been lined with crystal." His eyes watched her carefully as she slid the maroon colored gloves on as best she could with her hands tightly bound. "Do not do anything that you will later regret. Am I understood?" She nodded her head in acknowledgement. "I'm going to remove these binds now." The sternness in his voice was enough to make her understand. He unsheathed a dagger carefully hidden within the folds of his uniform and cut the binds around her wrists. She immediately started rubbing the skin trying to ease the ache that had been building up as he slid the blade back into its sheath. "Jasmine!" he bellowed, and Rei jumped, his booming voice startling her. The young servant girl that had been so kind to her last time quickly rushed over to them with her head bowed.

"Yes, Master Jadeite?" she spoke softly.

"Once our guest has been properly introduced to my lady," he scooped up Rei's hand in his own and gently kissed the back of her glove covered hand, "I will need you to take her upstairs." His eyes turned away from both women as he allowed Rei's hand to slip from his own and his lips pulled into an overstated smile. He walked confidently to the large double doors of the entrance to his castle, quickly opening both doors to allow in the sunlight and his guest.

He took two steps through the threshold and Rei eagerly stepped next to him. Jadeite reached out and wrapped his arm around Rei's waist, pulling her securely against him. "If you take one more step you will regret your new found freedom," he whispered harshly in her ear while keeping the same smile on his lips.

They watched as the silver haired man dismounted from his horse to reveal that a petite girl had been seated behind him on the saddle. A long, dark gray traveler's clock hid her hair and features from view, but the stark contrast of her white dress made her stand out sharply against the dark color of the horse she was perched upon. He reached his arms up to help the girl down from the saddle. She stumbled as her feet came in contact with the ground and he grabbed her shoulders tightly to keep her upright. The man waved to his soldiers to dismount from their horses as well, sending several to walk around the grounds of Jadeite's estate while the last two were positioned to hold up the girl. Jadeite mentally frowned as he watched the other men rushing to execute their commander's orders. As well trained as his own guards were they had never been nearly as disciplined or responsive as this man's soldiers.

Jadeite released his hold on the woman beside him and stepped forward to greet the General approaching him. With a bow that was perhaps more mocking than respectful he extended his hand to the taller man. "I have been expecting you, General Kunzite," Jadeite spoke jovially. "Word has quickly spread about the beginning of our new King's successful reign."

"Lord Jadeite," the man replied coolly, ignoring Jadeite's outstretched hand and keeping his own hands clasped tightly behind his back. "I have heard much about you as well. Although I cannot say that it all has been of a good context."

"Our reputations can at times precede us with little merit to support them. But before we continue, I would like to introduce you to my fiancée Rei." Jadeite gestured to the woman standing slightly behind him.

Kunzite eyed up the woman standing uncomfortably before him. She was beautiful in appearance, yet something in the way she was dressed appeared wrong to him. Her clothing did wasn't the right size for her as though it were either made for someone else or she was not allowed time for a proper fitting. The dark circles under her eyes told him that she had been under duress for some time, yet he would not 

allow himself the distraction of looking any further into this odd pairing. Instead he simply nodded his head to the dark haired woman and turned his attention back to Jadeite.

"Excuse me, my Lord," Rei interrupted before Kunzite had the chance to speak again. He turned his cool eyes back to her and frowned. "The woman you are with," she gestured with her hand to the woman being supported by the two soldiers, "is she alright?"

"She is no concern of yours," he responded disinterestedly.

"She is obviously exhausted and not well. I cannot help but to make it my concern."

Jadeite quickly spoke up before the General would have the opportunity to respond. "That is no way to speak to our guest," he chastised her while grinning in the direction of Kunzite. "I'm sure if she was truly in need of anything he would ask us to be of assistance. Jasmine," he called out to the servant nearby, "please escort my fiancée back to her room." Rei looked at him ready to protest, but was silenced by the gleam in his eye a second before she was pushed into the servants arms. Jadeite began to laugh as he made small talk with the General about the feisty nature of his beloved, relating to innuendos about her in the bedroom. Kunzite quickly silenced Jadeite as he walked further into the main hallway of Jadeite's home.

"If you are quite done with your banter then I would like to relay my message from the King so that I may return to his service."

Jadeite allowed the comment to pass by without further incident. "Please, continue," he beckoned in a dramatic tone.

"King Endymion would like to inquire as to your loyalties to him. He is aware of the size of the army at your disposal and he would like to ensure that you are willing to cooperate during this - transition."

"My loyalties lie with no other, of course."

"I am not a child and do not for one moment believe the sincerity of your words." Kunzite's frown deepened.

Jadeite clasped his hands behind his back and stood at attention, no longer putting on his friendly façade. "I am loyal to whomever it is that wears the crown. If our new King wishes to know my intentions than he can rest well knowing that I have no interest in rising against him."

"He will be pleased to hear this," Kunzite nodded. "If you are to be believed than I will extend the King's invitation for you to meet with him at the Palace. He would like to make you an offer to join his ranks and I would not recommend refusing him."

"Then I will be most pleased to travel to the Palace to meet with his highness. It will take me a few days to pack a few items but I will be there by week's end."

"There is no need. As a guest of the King he will see to it that you have everything that you require. He asks that you depart at once."

Jadeite pursed his lips as if in thought. If he declined then Kunzite would report that he was refusing to cooperate, but if he left now he would not have the time he needed to deal with Rei. "I suppose if the King requests my presence now I should not disappoint him. Although I would request that I may bring my fiancée with me. She is with child and I fear for her health should I leave her behind." He could feel Kunzite's eyes watching him, analyzing him as he spoke, attempting to separate the truth from the lies from the full out nonsense. For a moment he feared that Kunzite would call him on his bluff, but years of practice had turned Jadeite into quite the performer and so many people were inclined to take his word at face value.

Kunzite slowly nodded his head, skeptical of the other man's words, but not interested enough to argue with him over the terms. "Very well. We will depart within the hour."

"If you would like, General, you and your guest are more than welcome to rest in one of my spare rooms until that time."

"I will take you up on that offer for my companion." Kunzite gestured for the two men holding the girl to bring her to him. They walked slowly towards the large open doorway and Jadeite noticed that there was a slight limp to the girls step. Her face still remained shadowed by the large hood hanging over her, but he was able to notice a few strands of golden hair tumbling lose from their confinement to shimmer as the sunlight reflected off of them.

"Is she yours?" Jadeite asked casually.

"She will be a gift for the King," Kunzite answered with his eyes still firmly held to the approaching woman.

"One of my servants can take her -."

"That will not be necessary," Kunzite responded, effectively silencing the man across from him. "I will stay with her until we are ready to depart."

Jadeite watched as Kunzite gently pulled the girl from the grasp of the two soldiers and sent them back to their posts. He seemed as though he were not overly concerned for the welfare of this girl, yet his actions spoke volumes of difference. Maybe she was his literal Achilles heel should he find himself in a less than desirable situation after meeting with the King.

A servant slowly approached the group and lead Kunzite and the girl towards one of the spare rooms. Jadeite made sure that the young man understood that the couple was to be put in one of the state rooms so that they would comfortable for their short stay. Once he saw them escorted away, he quickly headed towards Rei's room, wondering to himself what type of King preaches freedom for his people when he so easily accepts a human life as "a gift". Endymion would surely prove to be no different from the previous King and this pleased Jadeite to know that his station would remain safe.

He entered Rei's room to find her staring anxiously out the window, her hands tugged at the gloves covering her hands unconsciously. "You wouldn't be thinking about removing those gloves that I gifted to you I should hope."

Rei's eyes immediately darted over to look at the light haired man standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry," she spoke softly, quickly turning her eyes away from him.

Jadeite couldn't help but to notice that something was wrong in her appearance. She looked as if she had just seen a ghost by the way her complexion paled and her eyes seemed to be full of worry. "I have been summoned to the Palace," he stated blandly, no longer annoyed by his forced visit.

"And what of me?" she asked, her hand pressing against the cool window pane.

"You will come with me, of course, as befitting of my fiancée." He paused, waiting for a reaction from her, but was surprised when no protest came. "Should anyone ask, you are with child."

"But I have never -."

"Fortunately no one will ask you for details. We leave in the hour."

"You trust me enough to bring me out like this?"

"Would you prefer I leave you locked away in a cell while I am gone?" He watched as her finger started to draw imaginary designs along the surface of the glass.

"I'm worried for the girl we saw earlier. She is not well."

"She is not our concern," his voice was disinterested, yet he couldn't help but to feel some small apprehension for the blonde's welfare as well. "Let it go. I will not have you badgering the General."

"Even if her life is at risk?"

"She is resting now as we speak." He frowned noticing that she had yet to turn and face him. Through her reflection he noticed that her eyes were closed and that palm of her other hand was pressed tightly against the frame of the window. "Rei?" He received no response. "Rei!" His voice was firmer, annoyed that she ignoring him. He stalked over to where she stood and grabbed her arm, swiftly twisting her body so that she faced him. Immediately her eyes fluttered open and she grabbed onto him to regain her balance. "You will answer me when I am speaking to you. Do you understand me?" His eyes flared with anger and he did not bother to disguise his displeasure. Her eyes remained filled with surprise but she retained her silence. "There is something you are not telling me."

"There is nothing," her voice was hushed.

"Since I have brought you here there has not been one moment where you have not seized an opportunity to oppose me. I find it difficult to believe that you would suddenly have a change of heart. What is it you're hiding?"

"No-nothing," she stammered.

"Did you even hear me speaking to you?" his eyes narrowed as he spoke evenly. He could see the debate in her eyes as struggled to answer him. "How do you know this girl when you have yet to see her face?"

"I'm only concerned for her -."

"More lies, my princess," he shook his head and clucked his tongue. "You know that I will not reward you for your deception."

"We could both plainly see that she was having difficulty standing."

"I want you to let this be," he said, the finality in his voice warning her to not continue this argument. She appeared distraught as she turned away from him and strode from the room. "We leave within the hour," he called after her. Jadeite walked over to where she was standing and peered out the window. Some of the General's men were talking with his own soldiers, but other than that he found nothing of any interest. His hand brushed over the glass where her hand had only seconds ago been and quickly pulled back, the surface of the glass was hot to the touch and left smooth burns on his finger tips. 'Interesting,' he thought to himself.

As planned within the hour, Jadeite prepared himself and Rei to make the journey to the palace where they would meet the new self-proclaimed king. He walked to the guest room where the general and the girl had been staying. After several unanswered knocks he entered the room only to find it empty of its former inhabitants and a lone chain laying on the floor made of solid gold.

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Oh what webs we weave...stay tuned!


	4. Chapter 4

I'm alive and back with an update. Sorry this took so long and I'm even sorrier that this is a short chapter. I decided at the last minute to change where I was going with this story in an effort to get over my writer's block. It's been a painful process, but on the bright side I'm motivated to work on this story again! Woo-hoo! So without further ado, please review! It makes my day that much better to see your feedback.

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The journey to the palace was long and the General Kunzite was untiring as he insisted that they continue at their quick pace. When they finally arrived at their destination, Jadeite and Rei were lead away to a guest room to wait for the new king to meet with them. The couple watched as Kunzite led the cloaked woman down a hallway that Jadeite recognized would lead towards the private rooms once belonging to King James. Rei unconsciously clutched at Jadeite's arm in concern over watching the exhausted girl trying to hold herself upright. Kunzite wrapped his arm around her in an attempt to support her weight while speaking to her in a hushed tone that they could not hear.

Once they arrived at their room and were left alone, Jadeite wasted no time in turning his attention to the dark haired woman at his side. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the bed, pushing her down on the soft padding. She landed heavily on her backside and struggled to right herself. "You lied to me," he hissed.

"I've done everything that you've asked of me," she sputtered.

"You allowed me to believe that it was you who had the gift of turning objects to gold, but it's not you is it?" He reached out and grabbed her wrist, yanking off one of the dainty gloves and grasping her hand tightly. "That's what I thought. Why did you lie to me? Who are you protecting?!" he demanded angrily.

"There's more to this than you think."

Jadeite released her hand and pulled a chair alongside of the bed. He sat down and put his boots up on the mattress, his fingers folding in his lap as a calm smile fell over his features. "Then maybe you should start talking."

She screamed as his fist made contact with her face sending her flying to the cold hard floor. Her wrist bent at a sharp angle, but did not break despite the force behind it. Pain throbbed through her body from her many injuries and tears fell freely from her eyes, but that did not cause her captor to halt in his actions.

He yanked her off the floor and threw her into a chair, her long blonde hair falling over her face. A whimper escaped her lips as she prepared for him to hit her again, but the blow never came. Instead a hand brushed her hair out of her eyes and caressed her swollen cheek. She wasn't sure what she feared more at this point – the pain of his fist connecting with her body or the stroking of his hands that inevitably ended up with his body pressed over hers.

It was all a rouse, something she was more than willing to endure for the sake of the cause, but the man above her was growing ever impatient with her inability to produce the results that he desired. Alchemy was not her gift, and she feared that by further enduring his abuse she was bound to slip up and show him her true element. But for now she would close her eyes and pretend that it was not his lips sucking painfully against her neck, nor was it his hands now pulling at the hooks fastening her dress closed.

After what felt to be far too long, he finally finished, satisfied with himself. She did not move for several minutes, her body sore from his mistreatment. Rubeus was never a gentle lover. He thrived from the power he held over her and maybe even liked the way his skin burned as her palms pushed against his chest. Did he know what she was restraining herself from doing? Or was that why this ritual continued? Maybe he enjoyed receiving pain nearly as much as he liked to inflict it.

Finally the day arrived when her savior came for her. She knew that he would come, but as the days grew longer and more plentiful, she began to have doubts. But seeing his face now, as he loomed over, checking her injuries, gave her renewed confidence that everything had worked out as planned.

Her eyes opened in small slits, at first afraid that Rubeus had come back for more of his fill. Hands worked quickly to pull her dress back over her not stopping until she was more appropriately covered. Then just as quickly the same warm hands worked at bandaging her injuries. Dry lips parted in an effort to thank her savior, but she was immediately silenced and allowed for her eyes to drift closed as a sleep claimed her weary mind.

Was she dreaming? Could it be that only minutes had passed and not hours? She pulled herself up and brushed the golden strands away from her face, something that she had yet to get used to. A pair of green eyes greeted her from across the room and a sigh escaped from her lips. "You came for me," she spoke softly, her jaw sore from being struck earlier.

"I would have been here sooner, but unfortunately things took longer than Endymion had anticipated."

"Did he win the war?" she asked hopefully.

"He did."

"Then this is all finally over?"

"Almost." Her savior moved out of the dark doorway and into the light of the room. "I will bring you back to Endymion shortly and a doctor will look you over properly. Unfortunately I have a limited amount of supplies and can do very little for you."

"No, what you have done for me was enough." She paused, hesitant to ask her next question. "What happened to Rubeus?"

He ran one hand through his long silver hair. "He's been dealt with appropriately." He didn't continue and she was afraid to inquire any further. "We should leave at once. There is a stop that we must make first before we can continue on to the palace."

"Is she ok? Was she caught?"

"She's fine and safe with Endymion. I have been sent with the task of reining in one of King James' former lackey's named Jadeite. Endymion believes that he'll be of use to the new order."

"I'll go anywhere with you, just get me out of here so that I never have to come back."

He extended his hands and held out a long dark clock in one hand and a pair of gloves in the other. "I hope you don't mind, but we need to continue with the charade until it's time."

"I understand." She rose from the bed to accept the objects, slowly pulling them on while trying not to further agitate her injuries. He walked around her and bundled up her blond tresses, tucking them safely into her cloak.

"I'm sure you'll be happy to cut off this long mane and return to your normal color once we return," he said, smiling warmly.

"It's all I think of most days."

The tall man slipped his arm through hers and they walked out of the room slowly. "I promise you, you will be taken care of personally by one of my own guards once we return. You've done a great thing for this kingdom, Ami."

"I've done no less than my part, Kunzite."

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So to everyone who thought they knew who the blonde was going to be...I hope this was a pleasant surprise!


	5. Chapter 5

Another update! Two in one week! Sorry for the delay on this update, hopefully I will have the next chapter up soon. Thanks to my reviewers for their comments and for their patience. Reviews, comments, feedback are always appreciated!

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Kunzite may have warned her that they still had several days left to go in their travels, but she didn't at the time realize how exhausted she was until they arrived at the estate of the man named Jadeite. As they approached his property Kunzite told her to keep her head down and to not say anything lest she was recognized. It was certainly a surprise though when she found Rei standing besides this man. She would have to inquire about that once they were alone. Although as curious as she was, she fell instantly asleep once she was escorted to a guest room. Kunzite had been kind enough to keep watch over her while she slept until finally it was time to be off again.

As they arrived at the palace she wondered if Rei had picked up on the signals she was sending her. Neither girl had made an acknowledgement of each other although Ami was still making every effort to remain hidden under her cloak. Once they stepped into the palace walls Kunzite had Rei and Jadeite escorted away while he helped her to the infirmary where she promptly collapsed on a bed.

How much time elapsed she was unsure, but exhaustion still claimed her body. Gentle hands changed a bandage on her arm, bringing her back to consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open and she was met with someone sitting at her bedside, their back turned to her as they fumbled with something in their lap. The long blonde hair obstructed her view of the woman dressed in a blue tunic, and she allowed her eyes to close again, prepared to drift back off to sleep.

"You're awake," a masculine voice spoke up.

Her eyes opened and she pulled away, surprised that she had made such a mistake in her state of exhaustion. "Who are you?" she asked quickly. "Kunzite said that one of his personal guards would be by to see me." Her eyes took in the details of his features and she almost felt calmed. He was beautiful in the most handsome way. His face was trim with high cheek bones and bright green eyes. She almost wanted to reach out and brush her fingertips over his lips to see if they were as soft as they appeared.

"Did he now?" the man chuckled at her, obviously noticing her staring. "Then you must be someone of great importance to have warranted such attention. Especially to have Kunzite himself come to you."

"I am no one," she answered cautiously.

"Then shall I call you 'no one'?" he teased her. His hands reached out for her arm and she shirked away from him, her eyes narrowing. He clucked his tongue and sighed dramatically, reaching for her arm once again. She seemed uneasy at his gentle touch, but he paid her no mind as he unraveled the bandage from around her arm. "This may sting a little," he warned as he pressed a damp cloth against her wound. She hissed in response and tried to withdraw from him, but he held her arm firmly in place, dabbing at the skin. "This will help to prevent an infection."

"Who are you?" she asked him.

"Is it fair that I tell you my name when you refuse to tell me yours?"

"It wouldn't be the gentlemanly thing to do I would think."

"Then I will make you wait no longer. My name is Zoicite."

Her eyes once again took in his image and noted he was wearing a dark blue tunic with a pair of tan pants – definitely not the normal apparel of one of Kunzite's men. "And who are you?"

"I am no one," he teased her, his eyes crinkling in amusement. He finished re-bandaging her arm with his long delicate fingers, maybe even the fingers of a musician she mused, and stood from the bed smiling down at her. A soft knocking was heard at the door and both pairs of eyes turned to see a tall woman with long brown hair swept back into a ponytail entering the room, a tray of food in hand.

"Endymion and Kunzite are expecting you. They've asked me to remind you how late you are," the brunette teased.

Zoicite rose from the bed and looked at the tall woman. "So do I keep them both waiting to see how angry I can make them this time?"

"Only if you're willing to face the consequences."

"Then I should be on my way." Zoicite turned to face Ami. "Until next time then." He bowed at the waist in her direction before throwing a smile Makoto's way and walking out the door.

Makoto smiled at his playfulness as she walked over to Ami's bedside, placing the tray by the bed. "I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Have I been sleeping long?"

"Only about an hour or so. The way you looked I was sure it would be days before you opened your eyes again."

"Who was that?" Ami asked, pulling herself up to a sitting position. The strands of her long blonde hair had become tangled around her while she slept and she swatted away the loose tendrils.

"That was Master Zoicite, second in command to Endymion," Makoto answered as she helped Ami to stand and then walked her over to a chair where Ami slowly seated herself. She began to brush out the tangled strands with a brush that had been tucked into her apron. "I will apologize for him now," Makoto sighed, clucking her tongue. "His manners can be lacking at times."

"It's ok," Ami said thoughtfully, regretting that she had been so harsh with him when he was only trying to be helpful. Makoto left her to her thoughts as she began cutting away the long strands until Ami was left with her hair bobbing gently around her shoulders, the strands around her face cut into an angle framing her delicate features.

"Done," Makoto said proudly.

Ami ran her fingers through the shorter strands and lightly smiled. "It's been a long time since I've been able to wear it like this. It feels nice to be me again."

"After you eat I can help to fix this color if you wish."

"Please," Ami smiled.

--

Makoto left a short while later, leaving the petite girl to eat her lunch in peace. She walked aimlessly through the palace halls, waiting for Zoicite to return from his meeting with Endymion and Kunzite. Zoicite had always liked to keep her informed on many of the things he was involved in, but for some reason he kept most of the current events to himself. It had come as a bit of a shock when several days ago he returned home, his armor covered in dark stains. Several minor injuries covered his body, but he assured her most of the blood was not his. It was at that time that he finally explained to her how he had been plotting with Endymion in overthrowing their previous monarch, King James. After that Zoicite began having visitors that she had never seen before yet he seemed to know quite well. Now this girl shows up with bruises on her body, as well as another couple that had been whisked away to private quarters, with no one providing an explanation to her. Kunzite seemed to be the only one that knew the story behind these new strangers, but she knew better than to approach him to fulfill her curiosity.

It seemed like she would just have to wait until things settled down so that Zoicite would begin to confide in her again. Fortunately patience had always been a virtue of hers. That is, of course, with one exception - Lord Nephrite. As she entered the grand entryway of the palace she found the tall, dark haired man standing with his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes wandered around the room, taking in all of the ornate details until they finally settled on her.

"If it isn't the beautiful Lady Makoto," he said huskily, bowing at the waist in her direction.

She fought the urge to blush at his grand gesture. He was known for being a 'ladies man' by many who knew him or had only heard of him. Still, she always found herself being flattered by his playful nature. Lord Zoicite had always been kind to her and she enjoyed working for him, but it was these encounters with Nephrite that she wished she were above her station. Society would never allow her a chance to be with him, let alone allow him to find any true interest in her.

"Lord Nephrite," she said softly, her body dipping into a low curtsy. "Are you here looking for Zoicite?"

"Among others, yes," he replied, slowly approaching her. "He is locked behind closed doors again isn't he?"

"I can let him know that you are here if you would like," she offered, a pink tinge starting to spread over her cheeks as he neared her.

"You are too good to me, Makoto." He gave her one of his most devastating smiles keeping her frozen in place before him. "You know," he said, tilting his head as he looked intently at her face. "You shouldn't let your hair fall into your eyes like this." His fingers swept through her bangs, brushing them lightly to either side of her face. "You shouldn't hide such lovely green eyes."

Her hand clenched in front of her chest as she resisted the urge to touch him in return.

Zoicite emerged from the hallway from where he had been watching the exchange, a smile plastered on his face. "I see you are trying to steal this wonderful girl from me," he said with a chuckle. He came to a stop behind Makoto, placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"But if I could," Nephrite chuckled in response, taking a step back from Makoto. "Unfortunately you found this lovely lady before I." He playfully winked at her.

"You can go now, Makoto," Zoicite said, his eyes looking over to meet hers. She nodded her head dumbly, her breath catching at the taller man's gesture. Zoicite raised his eyebrows, the smile on his face slowly fading as she suddenly realized what he had said to her. She quickly curtseyed to both men before taking leave of the room, embarrassed that she had allowed for Lord Nephrite to see how flustered he had made her.

--

Ami stood by the window, a silken robe wrapped around her body and tied by a sash at her waist, leaning against the cool stone of the wall. She watched as random soldiers moved around the palace grounds, some coming while others were going. Visitors were stopped at the gates and for the most part were turned away. The ousting of the former king had caused quite the upheaval, although that was to be expected.

A soft knocking on the door broke her thoughts and she looked over just as Zoicite entered the room with a basket of first aid supplies in his hand. Their eyes met and for a moment neither said a word. "Why didn't you tell me who you really were?" Ami finally asked, breaking their imposed silence.

"I approached you as a friend, I didn't want to be defined by my rank," he said in return.

"Please have a seat." Ami gestured towards the chair still left by her bedside.

Zoicite hesitantly walked further into the room and slid into the seat as requested, placing the small basket on the nightstand before bringing his left ankle to rest over his knee. A playful smile slipped over his features as he watched her slowly approach him. He couldn't help but to notice how fluidly she moved as she stepped one graceful foot in front of the other.

"I should thank you for your kindness," she said softly as she neared him.

"I can take nothing in return from you," he responded.

"You wouldn't be taking if I am so willingly giving." He couldn't help but to notice the flirtatious hint to her voice as her hand brushed over his shoulder. Her fingers trailed down his arm as she began to circle around him. Her hand swiftly moved from her slow, deliberate movements to grasp the heel of his left foot and gave it a shove. He was unprepared for her actions and his foot landed heavily on the floor near his right.

"Ami," he started to say.

"So you do know who I am when before you were being coy." She stood in front of him, her body stopping between his feet.

"I didn't want to alarm you."

"You were acting out of kindness for my wellbeing."

"I can't imagine how a girl as seemingly innocent as you could have come to the palace in your condition." He leaned forward slightly and touched her cheek, the tips of his slim fingers lightly brushing over the bruising near her left eye. She covered his right hand with hers and brought it down to rest over her chest, now clutching it with both hands. "You don't –." He started to protest.

"I do," she answered quickly, allowing his hand to drop down to his lap. Her fingers tugged at the ties to her robe causing the material to fall open and slip off her shoulders, pooling into a heap at her feet.

Zoicite fought to keep his eyes above her neck, not understanding how the previously timid girl had suddenly changed before his eyes, but found that he could not ignore the sight before him. Her skin was pale and smooth, stretching over a taut frame made of soft curves. His eyes noticed the small bruise marks around her hips, realizing that they could have been caused by nothing other than a man's hands brusquely handling her. Since he knew that Kunzite would never have laid his hands on a woman like that, his mind began to wonder at what other atrocities she may have endured where ever it is that she was brought from. "I can't-." He attempted to protest once again, rising to his feet.

Ami placed her hand firmly against his chest and he dropped back into his seat in surprise as he felt a burning sensation spread over his skin through the layers of his uniform. He looked into her eyes and noticed how she suddenly seemed so far away even though she was right in front of him. "You always liked when I did that," she said softly as she kneeled before him. "I only want to make you happy like you asked."

"Ami," he said firmly, his hands resting on either side of her face has he brought her sad blue eyes to meet his sharp green ones.

Zoicite's ears perked as he heard the door being pushed open, the color draining from his face as Kunzite's voice resounded behind him.

"Zoicite," he said both firmly and sharply, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Ami's nude form in front of the other man. After all the girl had been through, to now find one of his own men in this position.

"No," Zoicite said suddenly as he jumped up from his seat, the legs of the chair scraping loudly against the stone floor as it was pushed backwards. His eyes darted over to Kunzite before returning to the girl in front of him. He hastily bent over and scooped up her robe, pulling the light material around her. She looked up at him with such sad eyes before turning her gaze to the floor. "Kunzite, I didn't…." he started to say, but he couldn't even begin to explain how he found himself in this position.

"Leave now." Was all Kunzite said and all that he needed to. Zoicite glanced at Ami, wanting to apologize for what happened but words failing him once again. Instead he quickly turned away and walked towards the door, his shoulder brushing against Kunzite' arm as the taller man entered the room and kneeled next to Ami, his arm wrapping around her shoulder as his other hand helped to secure the front of her robe closed. Zoicite paused at the doorway, watching as Kunzite spoke quietly to the now shaking girl. Sensing the other man's presence, Kunzite looked up at him and silently warned him to leave with a glare of his eyes. Without further ado, he stepped from the room and closed the door behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Back again with another update. This chapter gets back to Rei and Jadeite who were a little neglected in my last update. Thanks to the reviewers from the last chapter! All reviews are welcome!

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Jadeite glared at Rei from where he sat across from her. The minutes had ticked by slowly and in silence. With a quick glance to the tall grandfather clock to his right, he realized that another ten minutes would mark an hour of this. Normally he had the patience to outwait anything, but the change in his surroundings left him feeling edgy and he finally broke the silence, his booted feet falling sharply from the bed onto the hard floor, startling the raven haired girl in front of him. "You refuse to talk?"

"There is nothing that I can tell you."

"You can tell me who it was that put you up to this masquerade."

"It's not safe yet."

"Do you know anything about the recent upheaval of our kingdom?"

Rei hesitated and turned her eyes up to defiantly meet his. "No," she answered firmly.

Jadeite stood up and seemingly towered over her from where she sat on the edge of the bed. "You're lying." He paused to watch her facial expression. "And badly at that."

"I have nothing to do with the events," she said angrily, attempting to stand up to meet his height. His hand pressed down on her shoulder, pushing her back onto the bed.

"That wasn't my question," he said as he kneeled in front of her and brushed some stray strands behind her ear. "I asked you what you know. It seems to me that you know something which is why you refuse to say anything at all." His voice softened as he placed his fingers under her chin to bring her eyes level with his. "If I have been summoned so quickly to meet with our new King, I can only assume that it means he wishes to bring me into all of this somehow. Tell me what I need to know, temptress. I will see to it that you are well taken care of for it."

"She's not safe yet," Rei spoke softly, her attention becoming even more so focused on the light blue color of his eyes and the gentle smile that oddly enough made her feel comfortable in his presence.

"She?" Jadeite asked. He stood up from the bed and lifted her by her hand so that she stood close to him. She was tired from whatever burden it was that she was holding on to and he used that to press forward.

Rei felt herself being pulled against him and she allowed herself to be. His eyes looked into hers and she knew that he had used this tactic many times in the past to get what he wanted. She knew how quickly his mood could change as she had witnessed it many times before first hand, but she liked when he was like this, friendly and gentle. His eyes were warm and his face gave him such an innocent appearance even though she knew otherwise. Was it so terrible that she allowed herself to be attracted to him? Their first encounter had not gone well, both had been equally rash and his treatment of her had been terrible – although she did kill two of his men when they first came for her, she almost wouldn't have expected otherwise from someone who did not know what they were dealing with. He had become much kinder since that encounter though. His comments were flattering and his touches were always light and teasing. She never saw him for more than a meal every couple days, but he did see to it that she was looked after.

She knew better than to fall for this man who obviously never had any trouble getting what he wanted, but was it fair that he may find himself falling out of favor with the king because he thought she was someone else? Truth be told, she didn't know why he was being summoned to the palace in the first place – she had never even heard of him until their earliest encounter. Even then the confusion of her true identity was really her fault. But she had to act, there was no time for second thoughts.

The door opened and tall woman with auburn hair and an apron tied around her waist walked into the room, quickly stopping after only a few steps upon catching the couple standing so intimately close. Rei attempted to move back from Jadeite, but found that she was trapped between the bed and his body with his arm firmly holding her in place. The childish temptation to step on his foot suddenly became an overwhelming urge until he quickly brought his lips to hers, kissing her solidly. He broke away from her and looked to the new arrival in the room, his face lighting up with a smile of mock surprise.

"I didn't mean to intrude on anything," she said quickly, looking down at the floor as the woman next to him absently started to smooth her dress. "I didn't realize that there was a guest with you."

"This beautiful woman is having my child, I could not bring myself to leave her behind," he answered playfully, giving Rei's side a light pinch as he anticipated the angry look she was prepared to give him.

Makoto looked at the odd couple before her and decidedly took a step backwards towards the open door. "My master has asked me to apologize for making you wait as long as you have. As you can imagine the past couple days have been a bit chaotic."

"Your master is Endymion I presume," Jadeite responded.

"No." She shifted her weight onto her other foot, something about the man before her left her feeling somewhat uneasy. "I am employed by Lord Zoicite. Although during this time I have been assisting the staff under Endymion."

"Zoicite," Jadeite muttered under his breath, snorting silently as his smile faded slightly. "Then please tell your master Endymion that we are content to wait until they are ready for us."

Makoto paused, her lips pursed to correct the mistaken name spoken, but then quickly opted not to further purse the matter. Instead, she nodded her head slowly and backed the rest of the way out of the room, closing the door heavily behind her.

Rei pushed Jadeite away from her while his attention was still focused on the departing girl and walked around him as he stumbled to catch his footing. He reached out to grab her wrist but she pulled it away at the last second, leaving him only air to close his hand around. "Having your child," she chided him. "I am doing no such thing."

"I already told Kunzite that you were, and I'm sure by now he has told Endymion, who was then overheard by his staff who have now spread the word throughout the kingdom." Jadeite stood next to the bed and gestured for her to have a seat. "If I hadn't said what I did you wouldn't have been able to accompany me here."

"You are willing to ruin my reputation for your own selfish gains," she scoffed at him, still annoyed by his selfish implication.

"You're reputation?" he rudely laughed at her returning to his seat in the chair by the bed. "What type of reputation would some lowly servant girl such as yourself have to worry about?" He folded his hands in his lap, watching as her eyes widened in anger.

"You would dare – "

"You probably served your master like a slave, doing his bidding and fulfilling his every need."

"I was no slave! I –"

"Did you please your master when he called for you?" Jadeite sneered, leaning forward slightly in his seat.

"- served as the Lady in Waiting to none other than-!" Rei had begun shouting her answer, but then quickly cut herself off as she noticed the smile creeping across his features.

"You do not have the mannerisms of a lady," Jadeite said calmly while leaning back in his seat, "but you do have an air about you that one would only learn from being in the service of a very wealthy family. Do you want to finish your statement and tell me your lady's name?" Rei shook her head sharply and earned a frown in return. "Then we'll continue to wait until you see fit to tell me your story."

Rei crossed her arms defiantly and walked away to face the window. In the yard of the courtyard, hundreds of armed soldiers milled around, many of them higher ranking soldiers based on the appearance of their uniforms. She knew very little about war and military tactics, but it didn't seem to make sense to have so many officers and generals , among the many other soldiers that had been coming and going throughout the day, so localized around the palace unless something was about to happen. But could it really be that she's arrived?


	7. Chapter 7

Back with an update! Everything starts to come together in this chapter and ties together events from earlier chapters. So without further ado, enjoy and please review.

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She leaned back in her seat, trying to blend in as best she could within the shadows of the carriage. It embarrassed her to no end that tradition required the loud blaring of the trumpets being played upon her arrival at the palace. Since there were no curtains to hide behind, she had little choice but to blend in with shadows that refused to cooperate. The bright sheen of her golden hair would never allow her to fade in darkness. It was, perhaps, a little ironic that she now clung so tightly to the same darkness that she had been concealed in because of her affinity for gold.

She raised her hands before her and looked over the smooth skin of elongated fingers. This gift had been a curse for so long until the previous monarchy came to an end. It was because of this gift that she could now finally marry the man that she loved rather than the one that she had been promised too. Endymion had been her savior when he rescued her from King James and she happily accepted his promises of marriage in thanks for what he had done. But all of that was then, and this was now. The announcement of her betrothal and immediate subsequent marriage was to be announced in just a short few days time. It was her hope that she would be able to wait out this time in anonymity, but Endymion would never allow for that to happen, which is why he immediately sent for her rather than wait till out the agreed upon time. None of these details really mattered though. What she really wanted was to finally see him again after so long and to have his arms around her. It was just a matter of time now. First she needed to survive the lingering embarrassment of this arrival ceremony.

Zoicite paced anxiously in the hallway near Ami's room. He instinctively knew that he should distance himself far away from this girl rather than face Kunzite's wrath once he emerged, but then again, he didn't always listen to his instincts when he knew he should. He saw the way that Nephrite looked at Makoto and the way that she had blushed back in return, and he knew that he should have said something at that moment. The man would have to be blind not to realize that the girl was head over heels for him just like every other woman who seemed to grace the sheets of his bed. It didn't surprise him how cavalier Nephrite had always been to these flings with courtly girls, but it seemed a little cruel to play these same tricks on a servant girl who would not have a chance with him.

He growled and banged his open hand against the hard wall, instantly regretting his action by the pain surging through his wrist and up his arm. How had he ended up like this? Flustered like a young boy for having seen a naked woman's body. What happened to her that she went from being shy to a seductress? And the sudden pain that he felt when her hands touched his chest. How had she done that?

The door to the room opened and Kunzite emerged. For perhaps the first time Zoicite could remember, Kunzite looked tired. Normally he looked undefeatable no matter what conditions he was under, but now he looked as though he had had enough. "Kunzite," Zoicite said cautiously. Again his instincts warned him against lingering and bringing attention to himself, but wanted to make things right with the petite woman in the next room.

"Did I not tell you to leave?" Kunzite growled warily.

"I only – ." Zoicite took a step towards the door, stopping himself as he noticed the way that Kunzite was sizing him up. There was no doubt that he was an imposing man, that he nearly towered over Zoicite by several inches, but still Zoicite could not bring himself to back down.

"There is no time for your selfish desires. This girl has done more for this kingdom that anyone should ever be asked to do. Do not go near her again. Only your servant girl will be permitted in here for now on. Is that understood?" Zoicite's eyes narrowed as he opened his mouth in protest. "Do you understand?" Kunzite repeated more firmly. Taking the younger man's silence as acceptance he continued. "I want you to summon her and then meet me in Endymion's office. Due to Endymion's eagerness, things will be happening sooner than we planned."

"She's here?" Zoicite gasped.

"She will be shortly."

Kunzite continued on his way down the hallway and around the corner out of sight. Zoicite gazed at the doorway of the room belonging to Ami one last time before heading in the opposite direction of Kunzite in search of Makoto. His instincts continued to pull at him, but he suppressed the anxious feeling that he had, writing it off as battle weary exhaustion much like he assumed to be plaguing Kunzite.

"We can't do this here," Makoto exhaled between kisses. But they both knew that she didn't completely mean it. "We can't afford to get caught," she protested as his hand grazed over her breast, eliciting a soft moan from her.

"Do you want me to leave?" Nephrite whispered into her ear knowing how the feeling of his breath against her neck tickled her, making her weak in the knees. He pressed her further into the doorway enjoying the feel of the curves of her body pressing against his.

"What would it do to your reputation for you to be seen with your arms around a servant girl?"

Nephrite pulled back from her sharply and turned her head up to face him. "Don't speak of yourself in that way."

"I am what I am."

"I will not allow for anyone to speak to you that way. Once everything has run its course we'll figure this out. I will make this work."

Her eyes became moist with unshed tears as she took in his sentimental words. He had a way with words, but inside she knew that he meant every word he spoke.

"Makoto."

The sound of her name being spoken caused her insides to tighten and for a moment she debated whether to push Nephrite away from her or to use his larger body to hide her own. Her name wasn't being said in anger, although it was not being used in greeting either. Slowly she extracted her from Nephrite's arms, although it did not take much effort as his arms seemed to sag at being caught. "My Lady," she answered, bowing her head down at the sight of the blonde woman before her.

The blonde glanced around the hallway to make sure that they were still alone before continuing. "You are lucky that it is only me who found you here and not Zoicite. I think we both know that he would not be happy to find you like this."

"But my Lady -."

"No!" The blonde promptly cut her off, standing close to her. Makoto suddenly felt small besides this shorter woman who was dressed in a fine gown. It only served as another reminder of why her affair with the Lord Nephrite would never last. "Zoicite is looking for you, go to him." She turned her attention to Nephrite and pointed her finger at him. "You are needed now. Endymion wishes to speak with you, Kunzite, Zoicite, and the other man that he has sequestered somewhere around here. Go now."

Nephrite turned his eyes to meet Makoto's, finding himself disappointed when she refused to return his gaze. His fists clenched in anger at her defeated demeanor. Without another word he turned and walked away, leaving the two women standing in silence.

"Will you be alright?" the shorter woman asked.

"No," Makoto said quietly.

"I don't want to leave you like this, but the fewer people who see me the better for now. Otherwise everyone will know that my Lady is on her way."

"Makoto," Zoicite called out her name as he walked towards her quickly down the hallway. "I need you." He spoke kindly to Makoto, although as his eyes fell on the petite blonde next to her his gaze hardened.

"Zoicite," she said curtly.

"How your Lady tolerates your actions, I'll never know," Zoicite said bitterly. "I know of your attempted affair with Endymion and I don't imagine she will be pleased to know what you have done in her absence."

"There has been no affair with Endymion. You are mistaken," she retorted, forgetting to watch her tone.

"Kunzite has notified me that your Lady is on her way. Perhaps you should be making her bed in preparation of her arrival rather than attempting to sleep in it." He turned his eyes to Makoto. "Come with me, Makoto." His words were still bitter, but Makoto knew that the tone was not directed towards her. She knew that of Zoicite's suspicious nature towards the other woman, he had let slip some comments one night after having had too much to drink over dinner. He truly believed that she was attempting to steal Endymion's affections while his fiancée was forced to stay away, although many people were quick to assume that she and Zoicite were having an affair by Zoicite's affectionate nature towards her. That was perhaps Makoto's saving grace that others were so quick to assume that she was sleeping with her master that they were never bothered enough to notice the glances that Nephrite spared her.

Zoicite continued down the hallway in the direction that Nephrite had gone. Makoto spared one last glance to the other woman, noticing that Zoicite's last words had cut her deeply. Lost for anything better to offer than a weak apology, she quickly followed after Zoicite, leaving the blonde behind.

Jadeite walked over to the window and looked over Rei's shoulder, his chest lightly brushing against her back. "The trumpeters have taken their place I see."

Startled by the sound of his voice suddenly so close, Rei quickly stood upright and banged the back of her head against his forehead, causing him to right himself as well. She spun to face him, wanting to utter an apology for the accidental impact, but stopped herself when she saw that he was smiling rather than scowling. He rubbed his forehead with his hand, but she could tell that it was more for show than for comfort. "You did that on purpose," she accused him.

"I'm glad that you were able to see through me so quickly," he said pointedly. "Otherwise I may have missed out on my opportunity to be assaulted by you today."

"That does not count as assault."

"You injured me without cause. That is assault." She opened her mouth to retort, than quickly closed it again. He could see that she was fumbling to find an appropriate response and failing. His smile started to fade though when she reached up and moved his hand away from his forehead, her fingers brushing through his bangs as she looked at the impact sight.

She smiled at him. "Just as I thought," she sighed. "A lot of words for such a small cause. If so small of an injury has caused you this much distress I wonder how you manage for more severe injuries…." Her voice trailed off for a moment. "Such as a paper cut."

He paused to watch how her eyes lit up at her own commentary. Slowly his lips pulled into a small smile and before he knew it, deep laughter started pouring out. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed like that. "First you cause injury to my physical well being, than you insult my stamina. There are very few that I take insult from."

Her eyes narrowed curiously. "And why is it acceptable from me?"

Jadeite cupped her chin in his hand. "Because I'm curious to know about you."

"And once you know my secrets?" she asked quietly, unsure if his comment should be taken lightly despite his content expression.

"That would be my secret."

She wanted to comment on what he meant. What was he doing with her? Why would he tell lies to keep her around when she would leave him once the opportunity presented itself? She didn't have the chance to finish as the door to their room opened and Kunzite walked in.

"Endymion is ready for you. Let's go." His statement was curt and it was clear that he expected an immediate response. Rei quickly turned her back on both men, her attention returning to the courtyard activities below. She could faintly hear their departing footsteps before the heavy sound of the door closing blocked out further noise.

Zoicite stood with his arms crossed, back to the wall, annoyance clearly displayed across his features. Nephrite stood nearby across from him in the hallway, wondering what it was that seemed to have made the other man angry. He opted not to say anything as his familiarity with Zoicite was limited. Prior to the war he had only heard the other man's name mentioned within circles that they both associated with, but they had somehow managed to never meet in person. Then, with the onslaught of the war, Endymion had requested that the two men lead his army and fight side by side. While they had developed a relationship of trust due to their circumstances, they had never really formed any type of friendship. And based on what Nephrite was doing behind his back, it was probably for the best. It was no secret that Zoicite was very protective of Makoto, that was what initially started the rumors that he was bedding his servant. Many of the women of court gossiped about the sordid affair, their words harsh and insulting. Nephrite had also believed the rumors as Zoicite never took the time to comment. That had at the very least left Nephrite curious why the other man would not defend himself when it obviously cost him his reputation in the eyes of the courtly women who no longer wanted to pursue any type of relationship with a man whose standards were obviously lowered. Although now that it was Nephrite who was involved with a servant girl, he found the words to be cruel and unfair to the girl that was being demeaned.

The sound of footsteps carried over to him and he looked up to see Kunzite approaching, flanked by a blonde haired man. A smile crept across Nephrite's face as he suddenly recognized who the other man was. "You are probably the last person that I expected to see around here," he chuckled. "What happened to going down in a blaze of weapons and glory?"

"You'll make Endymion suspicious of me yet," Jadeite responded with a smirk. "I am here as a guest to our new king."

Jadeite's answer elicited laughter from Nephrite. "Then he doesn't yet know what he's getting himself into."

Zoicite looked up from the spot on the ground that he had been staring at upon hearing the voices around him. He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the arrival of the newcomers. As his eyes met Jadeite's, a frown formed on his face. "Jadeite," he said, devoid of any emotion.

Jadeite walked up to Zoicite, despite the fact that Kunzite had stopped several feet back. The two men stared at each other briefly before Jadeite punched him. Nephrite quickly stepped in and pulled back on Jadeite's arm. He looked to Kunzite who seemed to have no interest in the dispute brewing.

"If Endymion has called me here so that you and I might work together than he was obviously mistaken in summoning me."

"It's good to see you too," Zoicite said, his hand rubbing his jaw.

"You're a bastard," Jadeite spat.

"You two know each other?" Nephrite asked, his grip on Jadeite tightening.

"He's my cousin," Zoicite answered.

"You are not of my blood," Jadeite retorted.

"Distant cousins," Zoicite clarified. "I see you're still bitter about our falling out."

"Ask me again in another ten years." Jadeite shook himself free of Nephrite's grip and walked away, standing behind Kunzite with his back against the wall. He crossed his arms over his chest, a scowl on his face.

Endymion approached the group, a grin pulling at his lips. "I'm glad that you were all able to make it. I apologize for keeping you waiting, but now that my betrothed is expected to be here early, things have been somewhat hectic." He ignored the snort that he heard coming from Zoicite's direction. His fiancée's lady-in-waiting had alerted him to her early encounter with Zoicite, and while he wanted to have words with him, now was not the time. He glanced over in Kunzite's direction and noticed the tense expression on his face. Kunzite had been unhappy to hear of Endymion's betrothal, but it was only because of her that he was able to gain Kunzite's support in the battle. Otherwise the light haired man would have chosen to remain out of the war, leaving Endymion's troops outnumbered and undersupplied compared to King James' army. With some negotiations he was able to buy the loyalty of a man who otherwise despised him. But that was in the past now, buried with so many other secrets that need never be brought to light.

The sounds of trumpets echoing through the hallways distracted Endymion from his thoughts. "And that would be my betrothed now," Endymion said warmly. For a instant Endymion was sure that he had seen a look of displeasure cross Kunzite's features before the taller man turned and walked away from where the sound of the trumpets echoed. "I shouldn't keep her waiting. Gentleman, if you will please go ahead, I would like Jadeite to walk with me."

Jadeite looked up at him sharply from where he now stood. Zoicite and Nephrite walked ahead with Nephrite giving Zoicite a nudge as he briefly locked eyes with Jadeite. With the two men gone, Endymion approached Jadeite. "You want to know what you are doing here."

"I can already assume what I'm doing here."

"Of course." Endymion started walking forwards, Jadeite falling into step. "I want to know that I have your allegiance."

"And you're concerned that you don't?"

"Everyone has their price. I can imagine that yours will be pretty steep. You are a man that has an eye for expensive items and a fondness for gold."

"And what do you know of me?"

"I know who you think you have with you. The woman with dark hair. It was actually my fiancée that you were looking for. Since you only seem mildly surprised I'm going to assume that you already know all of this."

"I've been made aware."

"I won't judge you for what you have done, nor will I discuss it with anyone else. I am prepared to offer you though, for your cooperation and loyalty, a post as one of my top generals. As part of what I ask of you, is that you give me a fifth of the army that you've amassed. This can be beneficial for both of us if you agree."

"What if I refuse?"

Endymion smiled calmly. "I would like to think that your refusal was not an act of aggression, however if you truly wish to refuse I will not force you to do otherwise."

"And what of the other men that you have gathered?"

"They've all already accepted what I have offered them. To be honest, negotiations with Zoicite and Nephrite were simple enough. Although I think our discussion will somehow go much smoother than mine and Kunzite's."

"You don't have your own men to promote? It doesn't seem like the most strategic route to bring together a group in part made of strangers and in part enemies."

"I want a united kingdom, no more of these miniature monarchs where people feel that they are fit to rule themselves and others. The four of you that I have chosen are not yes men and I believe will offer me the honesty that I desire." They paused as they stood outside the large doors leading to the courtyard. "You and your guest, my bride's lady-in-waiting, may stay here for a couple days to consider my offer. I'm sure the two women will be happy to be reunited."

Endymion patted Jadeite on the back and walked out into the sunshine where a large carriage had come to a stop near the doorway. Jadeite considered Rei's words, her near admission to what court she belonged to.

From the shadows of the carriage emerged a beautiful woman with golden hair that fell down past her waist. She was dressed exquisitely in a pristine gown of deep gold and bronzed yellows. Endymion approached the goddess and reached for her hand as she descended down the final step of the carriage. Their eyes met and they exchanged a chaste kiss, which to Jadeite appeared to be nothing more than a formality. His eyes darted over to Nephrite and Zoicite, watching as they stood nearby at attention.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" a delicate voice whispered to Jadeite's left. Besides him stood a petite blonde whose hair was lighter than that of the lady who had just arrived, but whose features were no less noticeable.

"What is the name of our king's bride-to-be?" Jadeite asked in a low voice, noticing as the girl winced at the title he had assigned to the other girl.

"That is Princess Minako of the North Kingdom." She looked as if she wanted to say more, but did not elaborate. "If you will excuse me," she murmured, dipping into a light curtsy before approaching the royal couple.

Jadeite watched her depart, one part mildly interested in the recent events, while another part of him thought back to the dark haired girl that he had left behind. He was starting to understand the secret that she had been keeping from him although he had a feeling that the mystery was only beginning to deepen.


End file.
